Northrop Grumman to provide flight computers for Marine Corps helicopter upgrades
PATUXENT RIVER NAS, Md., 29 May 2014.Flight computer designers at the Northrop Grumman Corp. Electronic Systems sector in Woodland Hills, Calif., will deliver 119 Gen II mission computers for the U.S. Marine Corps UH-1Y and AH-1Z helicopters under terms of a $25 million contract announced Wednesday.
The embedded computer systems are part H-1 upgrade program to refresh technology aboard the Marine Corps Bell UH-1Y Super Huey utility helicopter and AH-1Z Super Cobra attack helicopter. Awarding the contract were officials of the Naval Air Systems Command at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md.
The dual mission computers are the heart of Northrop Grumman's Integrated Avionics System (IAS) that powers the glass cockpits on the two helicopter types. The mission computers provide centralized avionics control, interface with the tactical moving map, and display situational awareness and health monitoring.
Additionally, the IAS and mission computers feature open, modular architecture to enable system upgrades and rapid insertion of new technologies. Northrop Grumman also provides the operational flight program software that controls the IAS.
The mission computers will be on the UH-1Y and AH-1Z helicopters that make up the Marine light attack helicopter squadrons. Critical mission data is shown on four displays.
The H-1 Upgrade program is replacing aging AH-1W and UH-1N helicopters with upgraded UH-1Y and AH-1Z aircraft to enhance commonality, reliability, and maintainability. The upgraded helicopters have 100 percent software commonality through Northrop Grumman's IAS and the same operational flight program.
Related: Green Hills operating system chosen for Marine Corps helicopter avionics computer upgrade
On this contract Northrop Grumman will do the work in Woodland Hills, Calif; Salt Lake City; and Baltimore, and should be finished by October 2017.
For more information contact Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems online at www.es.northropgrumman.com, or Naval Air Systems Command at www.navair.navy.mil.
John Keller | Editor
John Keller is editor-in-chief of Military & Aerospace Electronics magazine, which provides extensive coverage and analysis of enabling electronic and optoelectronic technologies in military, space, and commercial aviation applications. A member of the Military & Aerospace Electronics staff since the magazine's founding in 1989, Mr. Keller took over as chief editor in 1995.
